Apparatus for lithographic transferring and printing.



N0. 637,60I. Patented Nov. 2|, |899.

E. HETT.

`APPARATUS FDR LITHOGRAPHIE TRANSFERRING AND PRINTING.

(Application fnled Dec. 23, 1898.)

Sheet I 2 Sheets- (No Model) INVENTOR www 6% BY l www ATTORNEYS WITNESSES:

Patented Nov. 2|, |899.

- E. HETT.

APPARATUS FR LITHOGRAPHIC TRANSFERBING AND PRINTING.

(Application led Dec. 23, 1898.)

2. Sheets- Sheet 2.

R 0 T N E V N WITNESSES m: cams Pneus oo, vuoTaumo. wAsiuNsrnN, o c

Nrrsgn STATES PATENT einen.

EDWARD HET'F, OF NEV-T YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR LITHOGRAPHIC TRANSFERRING AND PRINTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,601, dated November 21, 1899.

Application ined Decembef 2s. 1898. serial 110.700.143. cto model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD HETT, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, (New Dorp,) in the county of Richmond and State of New York, have invented certain Improvemen-ts in Apparatus for Lithographie Transferring and Printing, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to the operations of transferring and printing, more especially in lithography; and it has for its object to more economically and reliably and accurately perform those operations and by those operations to attain a perfect register in m ulticolor-printing work.

It consists of devices herein set out and hereinafter claimed.

The accompanying drawings which form a part hereof show machines which embody the combinations forming'my invention.

Figure 1 is an end view of the transfer-press, partly in section. Fig. 2 is a top View of the same, also partly in section. Fig. 3 is a side view in section. Fig. 4 represents, diagrammatically, a portion of a printing-press in side view, part-ly sectional.

My improvement consists of convenient and suitable apparatus for carrying out the method or process, which consists in preparing a series of basic surfaces, one for each color, to be separately printed by applying the design for that color to a setting-up plate or other suitable surface, bringing each basic surface into a definite relation with reference to a certain mechanical guide or guides inthe transfer-press in such way that the design upon it shall have the same position with reference to said mechanical guide or guides that every other design of the series in the operation of transfer has, establishing whole-surface contact under pressure between each basic surface and a suitable printing-surface, the printing-surfaces being held, each one of them, in the same position with reference to the aforesaid mechanical guide or guides while transferring to it as every other printing-surface of the series, whereby the designs are communicated from the basic surfaces to the printing-surfaces in accurate and related positions, suitably. developing the surfaces into printing-surfaces of the character desired for the several colors to be separately printed, mounting the printing-surfaces in series in a printing-press in positionaccurately fixed each with respect to every other and all with respect to the impression surface or surfaces, and printing from the said printing-surfaces in series, whereby register may be continuously and automatically attained.

Referring to Figs. l, 2, and 3, A is the frame ofatransfer-press. Bis thepower-shaft. Ithas a pulley B at one end and a small gear-wheel B2 at the other. C is the cam-shaft. It has a large gear-wheel C' at one end, meshing with the small gear-wheel B2 on the power-shaft B, and a fly-wheel C2 at the other end to steady the motion, and two cams D D. Solidly mounted on the frame of the machine is the bed E, which in the form of machine shown in the drawings (and which I prefer) is adapted to receive setting-up plates F, as hereinafter described. G is the movable upper frame or bed which moves up and down on vertical slideways O in the main frame of the machine and is adapted to receive a lithographic surface and to carry it face downward, as hereinafter described. In the drawings the printing surfaces and setting-up plates are represented as flat. They might,

however, so far as my general invention is concerned, be rounded more or less or otherwise shaped, so long as they remain capable of whole-surface contact with each other. In this case the one would be the reverse of the other and the beds of the transfer-press would be correspondingly shaped. The upper frame G has two cam boxes or arms H H, encircling the cams D D, as shown. The rotation of the cams reciprocates the frame G vertically toward and from the bed E. The bed E has fixed mechanical guides J at one side and one end forming a corner, into which fits accurately one corner of the setting-up plate F, thus bringing the design upon the basic surface into a definite relation with reference to the aforesaid mechanical guides: This mechanical guide .I may be composed of two parts, as shown, each capable of preliminary adjustment by means of the 4devicesV W; by which they are then held xed in place throughout the carrying out o f my process, although this adjustment is not necessary. The device W consists of a screw-threaded bolt passing loosely through the frame of the bed E and Working in a correspondingly screwthreaded hole ina depending lug or projection from the piece J. An outside nut fixed to the bolt is the means of turning the bolt so that the piece J may be screwed in or out and so adjusted in position,'and an inside nut is the means of jamming or iixing the bolt, and so the piece J, in the adjusted position. This is clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The bed E also has screw forcing and holding devices K taking against the remaining side and end of the setting up plate and forcing it accurately and snugly up into the corner formed by the mechanical guide J and holding it reliably there. The device K consists of a screw-threaded bolt loosely mounted in the frame of the bed E, but so that it can have no longitudinal motion in same. Ithas a squared outer end outside of the frame, by which it can be turned. Inside of the frame it carries a traveling screwthreaded nut which vprojects upwardly and takes against the side of the setting-up plate. These devices K are vunscrewed whenever a setting-up plate F is to be taken out. The upper frame or bed G lhas on its under face and on one end and one side thereof a correspondingiixed angle piece or guide L similar to the guide J, (and which, like the guide J, may consist of two parts preliminarily adjusted and then held xed by the devices X throughout the carrying out of my process,) i-nto which mechanical guide L accurately fits one corner of the flat printing-surface M, face downward. The frame or bed G also has at the other end and side of the under face screw forcing and holding devices N, similar to the devices K, to take against the remaining side and end of the fiat printing-surface M and to force it accurately and snugly into the corner formed by the guide L and to hold it there.

In operation in the case of the particular,-

transfer-press shown in the drawings the driving of the power-shaft B brings the upper bed G down directly toward the lower bed E, and the color basic surface (being the setting-up plate F with its transfers for that color upon it) and printing-surface M are so mounted upon` the two beds as that this movement brings them (the basic surface and the printing-surface) into whole-surface contact with each other and under proper and sufficient pressure to accomplish the transferring desired, and the printing-surfaces are brought successively all of them into the same position at the moment of transferring with reference to the mechanical guide J. The amount of pressure may be controlled and regulated by slipping one or more paper or metal sheets or rubber blankets u nder the setting-up plate on'the lower bed. The pressure may be applied more than once, if desired or necessary, by continuing the operation of the press, and the pressure may be gradually increased by slipping one or more thin paper or metal or rubber sheets in under or on Vtop of the setting-up plate after the first compression. p

"or stop-piece R and to hold it there.

This gradual increase' of pressure gives important results, and Ivprefer that method in practice. The transfer should leave the basic surface and cling to the printing-surface after and as the result of the first compression. The printing-surface is then developed into the character of printing-surface desired in any usual way-as, for example, by soaking o and washing off the transfer-paper, leaving the ink of the transfers, then etching, rolling up, &c. ;v and, if desired, before soaking olf the transfer-paper more pressure, such as rolling pressure or scraping pressure, may. be applied to the printing-surface in other machines, as in anyordinarytransferpress. A whole series of printing-surfaces having received transfers from a corresponding series of basic surfaces, each according to the method set out above and'all in identical position with reference to the same or equivalent mechanical guide or guides J, and the said surfaces having been suitably developed into, printing-surfaces of the character desired they are noW ready for use in combination in the second or printing step of my improved process.

Fig. 4shows, diagrammatically, parts of one form of printing-press that will illustrate and carry out the invention. Here P represents the impression-surface, which is positively d riven,with the printing-surfaces, in any suitable way, as by connecting-gearing.V M M' are the series of printing-surfaces that have been treated as heretofore described. They are mounted and carried on the several-forms or supports T T, which in the machine of the drawings are linked together into'an endless chain. Each of these forms or supporting parts T has a fixed angle-piece or placing or stop piece R, constituting at one end and one side of each support T a guide, against which the printing-surface can beforced and held, (each stop-piece being preferably composed of two separate parts forming the angle, like J or L in Figs. 2 and 3,) and each part T has forcing .and holding devices S to force the printing-surface M snugly and reliably into its place or position against the placing-piece The placing or stop pieces R are themselves capable of preliminary adjustment, as shown, as by means of thevscreW-bolts and nuts Y, which are on one side and one end of each `part T, and the entire series of these placing or adj listing pieces Rare originally, when the press is'rst set up and used, experimentally adj usted with respect to each other and to the impression-surface until the entire series of printing surfaces (previously treated. as

above) that they adjust and control are accurately fixed each with respect to every other and all with Vrespect to the impression- ,surface and so register exactly in the print- IIO ' mechanism shown might be made without de` will only require readjustment to compensate for wear, &c. The drawings show hat printing-surfaces, which for the purposes of the present invention is the form I prefer. The setting-up plates and the beds and supports are of course in such case correspondingly flat, as shown. The printing-surface might be rounded, so as to permit of the supporting parts T forming a true drum or cylinder, in which case the beds of the transferpress would be correspondingly shaped and the setting-up plates also. In such case the setting-up plates and the printing-surfaces would have to be substantial enough not to buckle when forced by the clamping devices K, N, or S against the angular stop devices J, L, or R.

The character of my improved method of and apparatus for obtaining accurate register will be clear from the above description. Heretofore such register has been obtained eX- perimentally and in the printing-press solely and by devices and manipulation there provided,the transferring to theprinting-surfaces being no part of the operation of obtainin g register. By my improved method of and apparatus for obtainin g accurate register in the printing by beginning the process with the transferring and by simultaneous whole-surface contact in the transferring I reach important and valuable results not onlyin economy of time, labor, and machinery, but also in accuracy and perfection of result, rendering multicolor-printing and multicolor-presses, and especially multicolor lithographie printing and presses, more practicable and available than heretofore.

It is evident that many variations of the parting from my invention. In the machine of the drawings the two beds of the transferpress approach each other in a line at right angles to the planes of their contacting faces, but that is not essential, so long as when they do contact it is a whole-surface contact and so long as the two beds are connected, so as always reliably to contact in the same relative position sidewise and endwise with respect to each other. Again, the mechanical guides J, L, and R need not be continuous pieces or strips, so long as they reliably place or stop or guide the basic surface or printingsurface in two directions angularly related to each other-#that is to say, so long as they constitute such stops or guiding devices against which the basic surface or the printing-surface (as the case may be) can be forced and clamped and held. Again, the form and character of the vclamping devices K, N, and S may be greatly varied, as well as the form and character of the angle-piece-adjusting or stop-adjusting devices W, X, and Y. Moreover, the printing-surfaces to which the transfers have been made, as described, might, as by deep etching, routing, or otherwise, be developed or made into relief or intaglio, as distinguished from planographic-printing surfaces, or some of the series might be so developed. For printing with such relief-printing surfaces no dampening devices would be needed in the printing-press. Obviously the invention would not be affected or avoided by such application or use of it, and of course the type of transfer-press and of printingpress employed might be greatly varied without departing from my invention.

My improved method or process set forth herein is not claimed in this application, but is made the subject of a separate and divisional application hereof.

What I claim as new, and desire to securev by Let-ters Patent, is--V Y.

l. In a transfer-press,the combination, substantially as described, with two beds the adjacent surfaces of which accurately fit each the other and which beds are movable toward and from each other and mechanism to so move them, of a setting-up plate adapted to receive the transfers to be transferred and adapted to be secured to one of the two beds, and a lithographie surface adapted to be secured to the other bed and to receive the transfers from the setting-up plate and to be subsequently developed into a printing-surface of the character desired, each bed having an angular stop device to fix the position of the setting-up plate cr of the printing-surface upon it and forcing and holding devices to force the setting-up plate or the printing-surface accurately to such fixed position and to hold it there.

2. In atransfer-press,the combination,substantially as described, with two flat beds movable toward and from each other Vand mechanism to so move them, of a flat set-tingup plate adapted to receive the transfers to be transferred and adapted to be secured to one of the two beds, and a flat lithographie surface adapted to be secured to the other bed and to receive the transfers from the settingup plate and to be subsequently developed into a printing-surface of the character desired, each bed having an angular stop device to fix the position of the setting-up plate or of the printing-surface upon it and forcing and holding devices to force the setting-up plate or the printing-surface accurately to such fixed position and to hold it there.

3. In a transfer-press,the combination,substantially as described, with two beds the contacting surfaces of which accurately fit each the other and which beds are movable toward and from each other and mechanism to so move them, of a setting-up plate adapted to receive the transfers to be transferred and adapted to be secured to the lower bed, and a lithographie surface adapted to be secured to the upper bed and to receive the transfers from the setting-up plate and to be subsequently developed into a printing-surface of the characterdesired, each bed having an angular stop device to tix the'position of the set-` ting-up plate or of the printing-surface upon it and forcing and holding devices to force IOO the setting-up lplate or the printing-surface accurately tosuch fixed position and'to hold` it there.

4. The combination, substantially as described, of the frame A, the bed E having ad-V justable stop device .I and forcing and hold-- ing devices K, the settingup plate F, the Inovable bed G having cam-boxes H l-I, adjustable stop device L and forcing and holdin gdevices N, the printing-surfaceM, and thecarn-shaft C having cams D D.

5. In a multicolor-printing press, the combination with a suitable impression-surface and suitable driving.mechanism, of aseries of printing-surfaces and suitable supporting partstherefor, said 'supporting parts having each an adjustable angular stop device and also forcing and holding devices, andthe entire series of angular stop devices being originally xed in identical adjustment, each with every otherwith respect to the impressionf surface, substantially as described.

\ 6. :In a transfer-press, the combination ofl mechanism for -brin gin g together an d separat` ing the beds, substantially as set forth.

8. In a transferring-press, the combination of two beds adapted to support a setting-*up plate and a printing-plate, and arranged to be brought together and separated from each other; devices for securing said plates in position in their respective beds, and a shaft operatively connected with one of said beds for1v moving it toward and from the other bed, substantially as set forth.

4. l A f censor 9. In a transferring-press, the combinationV jof a horizontal-fixed bed and a horizontal reciprocating bed adapted to support a setting- 'up plate and a printing-plate, devices for securing Vsaid plates in their respective beds 'and mechanism for actuating the reciprocat- 4ing bed, substantially as setforth.

v lO. In a transferring-press, the combination of a horizontal fixed bed and a horizontal reciprocating bed adapted to support a settingup plate and a printing-plate, devices for adjustably securing said plates in Atheir respec tivebedsand mechanism for actuating the reciprocating bed, substantially as set forth.

l1. In a transferringpress,the combinationof a horizontal fixed bed and a horizontal reciprocating bed adapted to support a settingup plate and a printing-plate, devices for securing said platesin their respective beds,and a shaft operatively connectedy with the reciprocating bed for actua-ting it, substantially as set forth.

,12. In a transferring-press,the combination of a horizontal fixed bed and a horizontal reciprocating bed adapted toy support a settingup plate and a printing-plate, devices for securing said plates in their respective beds and a shaft provided with cams connected with the reciprocating bed whereby said bed is reciprocated, substantially as set forth.

13. In a transferringpress,the combination of a horizontal fixed bed and a horizontal reciprocating bed adapted to support a settingup plate and a printing-plate, devices for adjustably securing said plates in their respective beds, and a shaft provided with cams connected with the reciprocating bed Where- `by said bed is reciprocated, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereofll have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses. v

EDWARD HETT.

Witnesses:

G. W. DONALDSON, EDWIN SEGER. 

